Long spar buoy

ABSTRACT

An oceanographic long spar buoy including a plurality of elongated tubular members connected to each other in an end-toend relationship to define a body of the buoy. A weatherproof data handling instrumentation container is demountably secured to an upper unsubmerged end of the body. The instrumentation container houses equipment which is coupled to instrument transducers mounted at selected locations along the buoy. The container is removable as a unit from the buoy for ease of servicing or repair of the contents thereof.

United States Patent Inventors George S. Lockwood, Jr.

Carmel Valley; Klemme M. Jones, San Pedro, both of, Calif. Appl. No.731,156 Filed May 22, 1968 Patented July 6, 1971 Assignee' Global MarineInc. Los Angeles, Calif.

LONG SPAR BUOY 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

11.8. CI 9/8, 73/170 lnt.Cl B63b2l/52 Field ofSearch 9/8,8.3;73/l70;325/l14, 116,118

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,974,832 9/1934 Peterson 9/8.3

POI Vi? 3,390,408 7/1968 Lockwood et al. 9/8 3,405,558 10/1968 Koot 9/8157,785 12/1874 Brown 9/8 2,397,844 4/1946 Dewhurst..... 9/8 2,910,83411/1959 Knapp 9/8 3,092,852 6/1963 Devereux 9/8 Primary Examiner-MiltonBuchler Assistant ExaminerSteven W. Weinrieb Attorney-Christie, Parker &Hale ABSTRACT: An oceanographic long spar buoy including a plurality ofelongated tubular members connected to each other in an end-to-endrelationship to define a body of the buoy. A weatherproof data handlinginstrumentation container is demountably secured to an upper unsubmergedend of the body. The instrumentation container houses equipment which iscoupled to instrument transducers mounted at selected locations alongthe buoy. The container is removable as a unit from the buoy for ease ofservicing or repair of the contents thereof.

PATENTEB JUL e um SHEET 1 [1F 2 RN S w L E/ Q PATENTEU JUL 6 I97! SHEET2 UF 2 LONG SPAR BUOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to long spar buoys and, moreparticularly, to long spar buoys adapted for use in oceanographicresearch.

2. State of the Prior Art Oceanographic data is required for militarypurposes, such as for improving or predicting sonar performance, as wellas for commercial purposes as, for example, locating undersea mining andfarming areas or for predicting optimum shipping routes. Ideally, anoceanographic instrument platform should be relatively motionless evenin severe seas; also, the platform should be rugged, low in cost, andeconomical to maintain.

Long spar buoys have been proposed for use as instrument platforms inoceanographic research projects. Such buoys are preferably fabricated ofa number of lengths of oil well casing pipe and are of substantiallyconstant diameter over their length. A long spar buoy may have a lengthof several thousand feet, if desired. Such buoys exhibit very littleheaving even in extremely high seas and are potentially less costly toconstruct, install and maintain than more conventional surface buoys.

Previously proposed long spar buoys may include an instrument containerpermanently secured to the upper end of the buoy above the watersurface. Instrument transducers, transmitters and power batteries arehoused in the container and coupled to additional transducers disposedalong the length of the buoy and with an antenna projecting above thebuoy for transmitting information gathered by the transducers totelemetering and data processing installations located remote from thebuoy. If the devices in the container become damaged or requirereplacement, either the entire buoy must be retrieved for repair or aservice vessel must be dispatched to the buoy for servicing of the buoyat the buoy site. Substantial difficulties are likely to be encounteredin repairing the buoy at its installation site because of wind and waveaction acting both on the buoy and the service vessel while servicepersonnel are present on the buoyuRepair of the previously proposed sparbuoys, therefore, is a costly and time consuming procedure regardless ofwhether the buoy is serviced at its site of installation or remote fromsuch site.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a long spar buoy foruse in oceanographic instrumentation and research and in which a datahandling device, such as a recorder or a transmitter, and a power sourcefor the data handling device are contained within a housing releasablyyet securely mounted to the upper end of the buoy. Should the powersource require replacement, or should the data handling device requirereplacement or repair, the housing can be removed readily from the buoyfor replacement by a spare housing containing an operative power sourceand data handling device. Such repairs as are required to the contentsof the original housing may be performed at a shorebased location oraboard a specially equipped service vessel; in either event, repairs aremade under improved working conditions without risk to life and limb.Also, the buoy is not removed from service for extended periods whilerepairs are made.

Generally speaking, this invention provides a long spar buoy for use inoceanographic instrumentation and research programs. The buoy has apositively buoyant tubular body having a length many times greater thanits average transverse dimension. The body is adapted to floatvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface. At least one instrument transducer is located at aselected location along the length of the body and produces signals inresponse to variations in a selected phenomenon in the ocean, thetransducer being sensitive to such phenomenon. A data handling deviceand a power source for the device, as well as for the transducer, ifnecessary, are provided. The data handling device and the power sourceare disposed within a housing which is removably yet securely mounted tothe upper end of the buoy body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features ofthis invention are more fully set forth in the following detaileddescription of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, whichdescription is presented with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevation view, in section, of a long spar buoyin accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation view of anotherembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the openedinstrument container in phantom lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A long spar buoy 10, see FIG.1, floats in a body of water 11 having surface I2. The body has anelongate body 13 having upper and lower ends 14 and 15, respectively.The body is defined by a plurality of elongate tubular elements 16secured together in end-to-end relation. The body has a length which ismany times greater than its average transverse dimension. For example,the body may have a diameter in the range of from about 10 inches or soto about 30 inches or so and a length of from about feet to severalthousand feet. Preferably the body of buoy 10 is defined by a pluralityof lengths of piping such as oil well casing. If desired, the body maybe divided into sections interconnected, pursuant to the disclosures ofcommonly owned copending application Ser. No. 548,610 filed May 9, 1966,by moment-free connectors (not shown) such as universal joints, orlengths ofwire rope or chain.

Body 13 is constructed, either by reason of internal ballasting or bydistribution of the weight of its own structure, to be positivelybuoyant and to float in a vertical attitude with its upper end 14disposed a selected distance above water surface 12. I

A ring 17 is secured to the lower end of the buoy body to enableconnection of the buoy to a mooring chain 18 for anchoring of the buoyat a selected location in body of water II, which body of water may bean ocean in which oceanographic research effort is to be conducted.

The high slendemess ratio (ratio of length to diameter) of buoy 10results in the provision of a buoy which has extremely useful propertiesand which is well suited for use in oceanographic research andinstrumentation. Buoy 10 moves only slightly, if at all, vertically inresponse to the movement of waves past the buoy. Also, the buoy does notpitch or roll appreciably in response to wind or wave action, butinstead provides a stable platform in the ocean. Where the buoy hasgreat length, it extends through regions affected by surface currentsand tends to resist movement by currents. Since the buoy has littlesurface exposed above the water surface, it is essentially insensitiveto movement by wind effects.

At least one instrument transducer 20 is mounted to the buoy body, as bystrapping 21; preferably a plurality of transducers, of the same ordifferent types, are mounted to the body at selected locations along thelength of the body. The transducer is sensitive to a selected phenomenonin the ocean around it, such as temperature, salinity, light, or currentvelocity, for example, and produces output signals as the phenomenonvaries in magnitude. The transducer output signals are conducted fromthe transducer along the buoy body via a cable 22 to a housing 23 whichis releasably mounted to the upper end of the buoy body above watersurface 12. Within the housing is located a data handling device, suchas transmitter 24 which is provided for transmitting data gathered bytransducer 20 to a remote shore-based or shipbased data receiving andprocessing station; the transmitter is coupled to an antenna 25 whichextends upwardly from the housing along the axis of the buoy body. Ifdesired, however, the data handling device could be a recorder or thelike in which data acquired by the transducer is stored for periodiccollection by appropriate personnel on a service vessel or the like; ifthe data handling device is a recorder, the antenna of buoy may beomitted. A power supply 26 is also disposed in housing 23 for poweringthe data handling device and the transducer in the event that thetransducer is such as to require external energization.

Cable 22 is connected to housing 23 by a separable connector 27 one partof which is mounted to the housing structure.

As shown inFIG. 1, upper end 14 of buoy body 13 is open. A closure plate29 is sealed across the interior of the body a selected distance belowthe open end of the body to define a watertight, upwardly open recess 30which functions as a step for the butt 28 of antenna 25. The butt of theantenna is cylindrical in shape and extends from just above closureplate 29 to within a chamber 31 defined by housing 23. The antenna buttis secured releasably to the buoy body by aplurality of cross bolts 32which extend through the buoy body and the antenna butt as shown. Awatertight seal is provided between the antenna and the body by anO-ring 33 or the like engaged between the outer circumference of theantenna butt and the interior of body 13. Should any moisture accumulatein recess 30, such moisture may be drained through an opening 34 throughthe buoy body just above the closure plate, the opening normally beingsealed by a closure plug 35.

Above its butt, antenna-25 is tapered as shown at 37 in FIG. 1.

Housing 23 is a basically cylindrical structure having a cylindricalvertical wall member 38 and a circular floor 39. A central opening 40 isprovided through the floor and is sized to make a tight fit with theouter surface of the antenna butt. The housing floor is supported uponthe upper end of buoy body 13. The upper surface of the housing isdefined by a circular closure plate 41 which carries a peripheral gasket42 for sealing cooperation with the upper extent of the housing wallmember. The housing closure plate has a central aperture 43 through itsized to mate snugly with the taper of the antenna when the closureplate is seated on the housing wall cylinder. A plurality of boltingdogs 44 are secured to the closure plate around aperture 43 so that theclosure plate may be secured into closure relation to chamber 37 bybolts 45 engaged in the mast.

Should the power supply or the transmitter located within housing 23require servicing or replacement, access can be had thereto merely byremoving the housing closure plate over antenna 25. If the repairoperation cannot conveniently be performed in a few minutes by personnelworking within the housing, the entire housing may be removed from thebuoy over the antenna and be replaced by a spare housing containing anoperational power supply and transmitter. Substitution of one housingfor another can be accomplished without involving attention totransducer in view of connector 27 which would have duplicate femalecomponents thereof, for example, mounted to the original housing and tothe substitute housing.

Should the antenna become damaged, a new antenna may be inserted in itsplace in short order in view of the antennabuoy body connectiondescribed above.

Another oceanographic instrumentation long spar buoy 50, shown in partin FIGS. 3 and 4, has an elongate tubular body 51 similar to body 13 ofbuoy 10. Body 51 has an open upper end 52 which defines the rim of anupwardly open recess 53 closed at its lower end by a closure plate 54having a central opening 55 therethrough. A cylindrical butt 56 of anantenna 57 is stepped in recess 53. Butt 56 has a diameter less than thediameter of recess 53 but greater than the diameter of opening 55 and isaligned coaxially of the buoy body. The lower end of the antenna iswelded, as at 58, to the closure plate about the opening.

A housing 60 is removably mounted to the upper end of the buoy bodyaround antenna 57. The housing has cylindrical walls 61, a flat floor 62and a domed roof 63 fitted with an access hatch 64. An antenna supportsleeve 65, open at its opposite ends to the exterior of the housing,extends axially of the housing concentric to the antenna and provideslateral stability to the antenna when the housing is in place on thebuoy body. An additional support sleeve 66 extends downwardly of thehousing along the exterior of the buoy body. As shown in FIG. 3, thehousing is supported on the upper end of the body.

The housing includes a transmitter 68 and a power supply 69 for thetransmitter and for such instrument transducers (not shown) locatedalong the buoy as may require external energization. Each transducer isconnected via a conductor cable 70 to the power supply. Each cable 70 islead up the interior of the buoy, through opening 55 in closure plate54, and

through the interior of the antenna to a suitable connector receptacle7] built into the mast. Each receptacle 71 cooperates with acorresponding plug 72 mounted to support sleeve 65 and coupled to thepower supply. The power supply and the transmitter are interconnected bya cable 73. The output of the transmitter is applied to the antenna viaa cable 74 which terminates in a plug 75 mounted to support sleeve 65.Plug 75, in turn, engages a receptacle 76 in the antenna at the end of aconductor 77.

A watertight closure is provided between the upper end of sleeve 65 andthe antenna by a seal assembly 78. The seal assembly may be structuredto prevent movement of the housing along the antenna if such feature isdesired. As shown in FIG. 4, housing 60 is preferably provided as aclamshell-like .assembly. That is, the housing is, in effect, divided bya diametral and vertical parting plane 79 (see FIG. 3) into two sections80 and 81 which are hinged together by a vertical axis hinge 83 alongmating edges of the housing parts. Sleeves 65 and 66 and seal assembly78, therefore, are provided in mating parts. The housing parts aresecured in closure relation to each other around the antenna by bolts 85which cooperate with bolting flanges 86 carried by the housing partsopposite from the hinge. Handles 87 are mounted to each housing part tofacilitate movement of the parts relative to each other.

Routine servicing of the equipment in housing 60 may be performedwithout removal of the housing from the buoy body; servicing personnelmay enter the housing for this purpose via hatch 64. Should major repairor replacement of the equipment in the housing be required, the housingis removed from the buoy body by a suitable service vessel and aduplicate housing containing operative equipment is installed in placeof the removed housing. The housing is removed by removing bolts 85 andby releasing seal assembly 78. Housing parts 80 and 81 are then movedapart from each other on hinge 83 so that plugs 72 and 75 disconnectfrom receptacles 71 and 76 in the antenna. The substitute housing thenmay be installed by reversing this procedure, care being taken that theconnecting plugs and receptacles are properly aligned before the housingparts are closed relative to each other.

A long spar buoy according to this invention maintains all theadvantages of previously described long spar buoys, but it hasadditional advantages not possessed by such prior buoys. The presentbuoy is well suited for use in oceanographic research andinstrumentation projects of a short term or continuing nature.

We claim:

1. A long spar buoy comprising an elongate positively buoyant bodyhaving a submerged length many times greater than the average transversesubmerged dimension thereof and adapted to float substantiallyvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface, at least one instrument transducer mounted to the body ata selected location therealong for producing output signals indicativeof a selected physical phenomenon to which the transducer is sensitive,an antenna extending substantially coaxially upward from the buoy body,a data handling device to which the transducer'output signals areapplied, the data handling device including a transmitter and means forreleasably coupling the transmitter to the antenna, a source of powerfor at least the data handling device,.a housing for the power sourceand the data handling device and through which the antenna extends, andmeans for securely yet releasably mounting the housing to the buoy bodyat the upper end thereof above the load waterline of the buoy body forremoval of the housing from the buoy body with the power source and datahandling device therein independently of the antenna, said releasablemounting means including sleeve means carried by said housing forreleasable mating engagement about said antenna, and a floor for saidhousing arranged in cooperating with said sleeve means for support bysaid buoy body when said sleeve means is mated to said antenna.

2. A long spar buoy comprising:

a. an elongate positively buoyant body having a submerged length manytimes greater than the average transverse submerged dimension thereofand adapted to float substantially vertically in a body of water withits upper end disposed above the water surface;

b. at least one instrument transducer mounted to the body at a selectedlocation therealong for producing output signals indicative of aselected physical phenomenon to which the transducer is sensitive;

c. a transmitting device to which the transducer output signals areapplied;

(1. a source of power for the transmitting device;

e. a housing for the power source and the transmitting device, thehousing comprising a pair of parts arranged to mate in closure relationto each other, and releasable means for securing the housing parts inclosure relation to each other;

f. a transmission antenna mounted to the buoy body and extending axiallythereof through the housing, the housing parts being arranged to mate inclosure relation about the antenna; and

g. means for securely yet releasably mounting the housing to the buoybody at the upper end thereof above the load waterline of the buoy bodysuch that the housing, with the power source and transmitting devicetherein, is removable from the buoy body independently of the antenna.

3. The buoy of claim 2, further including:

a. conductor means for coupling the transducer to the transmittingdevice. the conductor means extending internally of the buoy body; and

b. separable connector means in the conductor means enabling removal ofthe housing from the buoy body independently of the transducer, theconnector means including male and female components, one of which ismounted to the housing and the other of which is mounted to the buoybody.

4. The buoy of claim 3, in'which the housing further includes:

a. a dome-shaped roof; and

b. an access hatch defined in the roof for allowing access into thehousing.

5. A long spar buoy comprising an elongate positively buoyant bodyhaving a submerged length many times greater than the average transversesubmerged dimension thereof and adapted to float substantiallyvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface; at least one instrument transducer mounted to the body ata selected location therealong for producing output signals indicativeof a selected physical phenomenon to which the transducer is sensitive;a data handling device to which the transducer output signals areapplied, the data handling device including a radio transmitter and atransmission antenna mounted to the buoy body and extendingsubstantially coaxially upward from the buoy body, a source of power forat least the data handling device; a housing for the power source andthe data handling device and through which the transmission antennaextends,

the housing including a pair of arts arranged to mate in closurerelation to each other abou the antenna, hinge means interconnecting thehousing parts with each other, and releasable means for securing thehousing parts in closure relation to each other; and means for securelyyet releasably mounting the housing to the buoy body at the upper endthereof above the load waterline of the buoy body for removal of thehousing from the buoy body with the power source and data handlingdevice therein independently of the antenna.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 569 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3590,406 Dated July 6 1971 Invent0r(5) George S. Lockwood, Jr. and KlemmeM. Jones It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 64, after "nature. insert:

-The buoy need not be removed from its place of installation in theevent repair is required to the data handling equipment aboard the buoy.Moreover, repairs to defective data handling equipment can be performedin safety under optimum working conditions at locations remote from thebuoy site. These advantages are obtained without removing the buoy fromservice any longer than is necessary to substitute one equipment housingfor another.

-The present invention has been described with reference to presentlypreferred embodiments of the invention. The above-described embodimentsare not the only forms which structure of this invention may assume.Accordingly, the foregoing description should not be regarded as adefinitive catalog of all the details and arrangements within the scopeand spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of March 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Aii'iesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A long spar buoy comprising an elongate positively buoyant bodyhaving a submerged length many times greater than the average transversesubmerged dimension thereof and adapted to float substantiallyvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface, at least one instrument transducer mounted to the body ata selected location therealong for producing output signals indicativeof a selected physical phenomenon to which the transducer is sensitive,an antenna extending substantially coaxially upward from the buoy body,a data handling device to which the transducer output signals areapplied, the data handling device including a transmitter and means forreleasably coupling the transmitter to the antenna, a source of powerfor at least the data handling device, a housing for the power sourceand the data handling device and through which the antenna extends, andmeans for securely yet releasably mounting the housing to the buoy bodyat the upper end thereof above the load waterline of the buoy body forremoval of the housing from the buoy body with the power source and datahandling device therein independently of the antenna, said releasablemounting means including sleeve means carried by said housing forreleasable mating engagement about said antenna, and a floor for saidhousing arranged in cooperating with said sleeve means for support bysaid buoy body when said sleeve means is mated to said antenna.
 2. Along spar buoy comprising: a. an elongate positively buoyant body havinga submerged length many times greater than the average transversesubmerged dimension thereof and adapted to float substantiallyvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface; b. at least one instrument transducer mounted to the bodyat a selected location therealong for producing output signalsindicative of a selected physical phenomenon to which the transducer issensitive; c. a transmitting device to which the transducer outputsignals are applied; d. a source of power for the transmitting device;e. a housing for the power source and the transmitting device, thehousing comprising a pair of parts arranged to mate in closure relationto each other, and releasable means for securing the housing parts inclosure relation to each other; f. a transmission antenna mounted to thebuoy body and extending axially thereof through the housing, the housingparts being arranged to mate in closure relation about the antenna; andg. means for securely yet releasably mounting the housing to the buoybody at the upper end thereof above the load waterline of the buoy bodysuch that the housing, with the power source and transmitting devicetherein, is removable from the buoy body independently of the antenna.3. The buoy of claim 2, further including: a. conductor means forcoupling the transducer to the transmitting device, the conductor meansextending internally of the buoy body; and b. separable connector meansin the conductor means enabling removal of the housing from the buoybody independeNtly of the transducer, the connector means including maleand female components, one of which is mounted to the housing and theother of which is mounted to the buoy body.
 4. The buoy of claim 3, inwhich the housing further includes: a. a dome-shaped roof; and b. anaccess hatch defined in the roof for allowing access into the housing.5. A long spar buoy comprising an elongate positively buoyant bodyhaving a submerged length many times greater than the average transversesubmerged dimension thereof and adapted to float substantiallyvertically in a body of water with its upper end disposed above thewater surface; at least one instrument transducer mounted to the body ata selected location therealong for producing output signals indicativeof a selected physical phenomenon to which the transducer is sensitive;a data handling device to which the transducer output signals areapplied, the data handling device including a radio transmitter and atransmission antenna mounted to the buoy body and extendingsubstantially coaxially upward from the buoy body, a source of power forat least the data handling device; a housing for the power source andthe data handling device and through which the transmission antennaextends, the housing including a pair of parts arranged to mate inclosure relation to each other about the antenna, hinge meansinterconnecting the housing parts with each other, and releasable meansfor securing the housing parts in closure relation to each other; andmeans for securely yet releasably mounting the housing to the buoy bodyat the upper end thereof above the load waterline of the buoy body forremoval of the housing from the buoy body with the power source and datahandling device therein independently of the antenna.